Black Marsh
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Black Marsh, also known to the elves as Argonia, is the homeland of the Argonian people. It is located at the southeastern edge of the Tamriel continent and is bordered by Morrowind to the north and Cyrodiil to the west and northwest. The land, once believed to be much larger than it is now, consists of vast swamplands.
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[edit] History
The first known inhabitants of Black Marsh were the Hist trees.The Black Marsh was once part of a much larger land mass until it was flooded by the wanderings of the humanoid Mer races. By early Merethic Era, the Argonians were slowly taking over the land. It is known that in 1E 2811, Argonian armies fought Cyrodiilian forces, but lost. Black Marsh is however as of the Third Era part of the Empire by pact, rather than by force.
The novellas 2920, The Last Year of the First Era and The Wolf Queen respectively state that the major Black Marsh city of Soulrest had an Argonian battlechief by 1E 2920, and that Lilmoth had an Argonian priest-king by the first century of the Third Era. Imperial domination changed little of the tribal organization of Black Marsh's society, but wrought disastrous changes to its economy, as the small farms of Argonian peasants were replaced with massive cash-crop farms, and traditional forms of transportation were usurped by foreign methods unsuited to the native terrain.These changes were eventually remedied as the land's administration chose to return to previous methods of business. There have been some small attempts to convert the residents of Black Marsh to the Cyrodiilic pantheon of the Nine Divines, but most have been unsuccessful.
The Third Era saw Black Marsh come into conflict with Dunmers of Morrowind in what is known as the Arnesian War. Also of note is that the Knahaten Flu ravaged the province in the Second Era. The argonian-dunmer conflict continues as the dunmer raid Argonia (the Black Marsh) taking the argonians as slaves by House Dreth who continue slavery even though it's been abolished in Morrowind.
[edit] Culure and Wildlife
The Argonian Account by Waughin Jarth gives us some insight onto the native creatures of the region. Most notable upon arriving at Black Marsh are swarms of fleshflies, small red biting insect that descend upon any skin not protected by scales or clothing. While no true large predators exist in the swamp, the larger scavengers can be just as hazardous. Hackwings, large vulturine soaring birds with a saw-like beak as long as their bodies, are a notable example. They are said to swoop down on a victim, slashing it with its beak, and returning later once its prey has succumbed to blood loss. Voriplasms, who in appearance are almost indistinguishable from a mat of green slime (except moving) are voracious feeders, instantaneously digesting any flesh it comes across and depositing the bones in its slime trail.
Diseases of various types are common thought the swamp, and while Knahaten Flu is no longer common, Swamp rot will often claim the lives of any non-Argonians who attempt to make the marsh their home.
The largest animal (known) to exist in the swamp is the Swamp Leviathan. Jarth recounts finding a dead one, describing the reptile as "a mountain of spines" resting on "nine-foot claws" and complete with a mouthful of gore-encrusted tusks. The creature has been tunneled by hungry rats, which are common throughout the swamp.
A variety of Argorian tribes inhabit the region, we will list the known ones.
- Nagas, described as limbed puff adders, seven to eight feet tall, they inhabit the inner swamp, but may venture towards the borders to raid caravans.
- Paatra, simple described as 'toad-like', believed to be unfriendly.
- Serpa, also unfriendly, described as 'winged'.
- Agacephs, a usually friendly tribe noted for having bright, glossy, scales of a variety of colors, and needle-like faces.
Traditionally, the Argonians live in small hut-villages, usually as sustenance farmers or fishers. When they need to transport themselves or goods, they use razor-thin rafts propelled by an Argonian's tail, or using an "underground railroad", either a system of trails or a literal tunnel system through the hillier parts pf the marsh. Attempts to 'civilize' or otherwise bring the Imperial system into black marsh have failed, for the most part causing more problems than the fixed.
Aside from books stolen from abandoned schools, the Argonians seem to function best left alone, with roads and bridges build by the Empire quickly eaten by the swamp, traditional farming negating the slave trade, and robbery disappearing with a lack of caravans to raid.
[edit] The Dark Brotherhood
In the Black Marsh, the brotherhood not only recruits murderers, but Argonians born under the sign of the Shadow. They are taken at birth and presented to the Dark Brotherhood. A Shadowscale hatchling is then trained in the arts of stealth and assassination, and lives a life in service to the mighty kingdom of Argonia. Any Shadowscale who lives to come of age is accepted into the Dark Brotherhood as a full member of the family.
Shadowscales probably follow the same five tenets that members of the Dark Brotherhood do. However, the only ones that known to be true are, never disobey or refuse to carry out an order from a superior and never kill a fellow Shadowscale. The only difference between these is that, if a member of the Dark Brotherhood kills a fellow family member he must fight the wrath of Sithis and win in order to be accepted back into the Brotherhood. With Shadowscales however, refusing to fulfill a contract is viewed as treason, and the traitor will be put to death.
[edit] Transportation and Economy
During the Second Era the empire quickly built roads. Despite the roads travel wasn't improved at all, due to the fleshflies that feed off the soft skin of non-natives, swamps reclaiming the roads, rivers that seasonally flood several feat, and roving bands of beastly nagas, raiders or caravans. Imperial desire for land-based trade and building large-scale plantations;and it is a desire that has done little good for Black Marsh itself.
[edit] Cities
Many of the cities in Black Marsh are described in the Arena.
Blackrose:Described as being located "near the legendary forest of Murkwood."
Gideon:Described as the "black city of the followers of Seth."
Lilmoth:Described as "the home of the Dark Tide," "gloomy and foreboding," pervaded by an "unnatural fear," holding "much underneath its streets."
Stormhold:Described as apparently given over to tension, understandably, because of its "proximity to the Dark Elven lands."
Thorn:Described as "Jewel of the East," and as "deadly as it is beautiful," where "vagabonds eye your purse strings and guards seem to turn lazy eyes elsewhere."
[edit] Books
- The Wolf Queen series, books one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
- The Argonian Account series, books one, two, three, four.
- Pocket Guide to the Empire
